December 28, 2008
What is the Most Dangerous Neighborhood in London? Safest?
Tory W asked:
Doing research for a novel I’m writing. I’m a native New Yorker, and I understand that London, like NYC, is divided into boroughs, and there are neighborhoods within those boroughs. So what I’d like to know is, what is the most dangerous borough (based either on truth, or on widespread London-public assumption)? How about the most dangerous neighborhood(s)? What tends to be the demographic of those neighborhoods? Working class, public housing, tourist areas where naive visitors get targeted by muggers?
Doing research for a novel I’m writing. I’m a native New Yorker, and I understand that London, like NYC, is divided into boroughs, and there are neighborhoods within those boroughs. So what I’d like to know is, what is the most dangerous borough (based either on truth, or on widespread London-public assumption)? How about the most dangerous neighborhood(s)? What tends to be the demographic of those neighborhoods? Working class, public housing, tourist areas where naive visitors get targeted by muggers?
“Dangerous” is also open to interpretation, so what I’m thinking is that “dangerous” means “a high likelihood of being the target of a random street crime,” not necessarily “a high likelihood of the dealer you owe $500 to busting down your door and knifing you in the face.”
Example from NYC: locals tend to consider the Bronx, in particular the South Bronx, to be the most dangerous borough, but dangerous neighborhoods include ones in Brooklyn like Bushwick and East New York, and parts of Manhattan like Washington Heights are considered dangerous even though overall Manhattan is agreed to be the safest borough. So what are the corresponding thoughts on London?
Thank you in advance for your advice.
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Filed under Bushwick by on Dec 28th, 2008. 
Comments on What is the Most Dangerous Neighborhood in London? Safest?
Brixton and Hackney the worst and maybe Knightsbridge the safest.
Brixton and Stepney are considered dangerous. However, I was robbed in Knightsbridge and so I don’t think it’s very safe. There are a lot of tourists there which make it a pickpocket/mugging destination. Same for Piccadilly, Leicester Square, Covent Garden. With the opening of borders after the EU there has been an enormous influx of Eastern European criminals both petty and more organised, so keep a sharp eye on your belongings.
You don’t need complicated answers – use this
I’d agree with MoMo on this: Hackney is pretty nasty. Brixton is bandit country from one end to the other.
No not Brixton. Peckham is much worser then Brixton. Peckham is full on animals and suicide.
There as so many dangerous neighborhoods in London. The Borough of Westminster has the highest crime rates, the borough of Southwalk is also high in crime which includes the “neighborhood” of Peckham. Places like Brixton and Hackney are still bad but live on past reputations more so than up to date crime figures. A lot of the most dangerous areas are highly multicultural, Brixton is like our equivalent of your Harlem for example. The areas generally consist of Low income families, many of whom live in public housing, either on estates or in high rise tower blocks. These areas are certainly not tourist attractions.
West London is considered safer and more upmarket than East or South London, but there are tough areas in every post (area) code of the city.
There is nowhere in London without it’s fair share of crime, you may be mugged in leafy Chelsea but walk through Peckham without even noticing any crime at all.
London is the perfect city to compare to New York, similar size and demography. Good luck with your novel!